The meaning of a flower
by Lili Bibi
Summary: Neji wants to give Tenten a gift unlike the usual. He wants to give her flowers. He found the flowers but does he know the meaning of that kind of flower to her? Romance can bloom between the best of friends. Nejiten short story
1. A gift

**The meaning of a flower**

**Note:** Hello! This is my first time writing a fic and I'm currently at noob level so you may expect many grammar errors, crappy description and stuff like that. This is a short one shot for NejiTen!

**Disclaimer: **Naruto and NejiTen belongs to Kishi. Although I disapprove it! :(

Enjoy!

~~~~ o ~~~~

"NEJI! NEJI! NEJI!" a high-pitched manly voice pierced through the forest which made the owner of the name shivered a little. _Damn! Not him again!_

The Hyuuga prodigy slowly opened one eye. He saw his green teammate jumped up and down in front of him. It was no long a rare sight for Neji anymore. Hmph, what can he expect from his idiotic teammate, already eighteen years old but still acted like a little child. Neji was feel like rolling his eyes the first time he witness his hyper teammate rather 'excited' behaviors on their first day of a team. Right! Like hell he would roll his eyes. Hyuuga ain't rolling eyes. That's just how cool they are!

"What is it, Lee?" Neji asked impatiently while closing his opened eye. He took a mental note to himself a long time ago that if he wanted Lee to go away as soon as possible, he has to respond to Lee's conversation. _The kid can go on forever if he did not get the attention he wanted._

"Neji, my dear rival! Do you know what the day is today?!" Lee asked happily.

"Ugh…Monday…?" Neji answered.

"What! NO! My rival! Of course I know today is Monday but what day is today?!" Lee asked again. He stopped bouncing for good.

"Lee. Aren't you aware that you ask the same question twice?" Neji said but now opened both eyes. He raised one hand to rub his temple. Lee seriously got on his nerve sometime, scratch that, all the time must be the correct words.

"My rival! You don't remember what day is today? I'm really disappointed in you, Neji!" Lee scowled.

"And that came from a mouth of a shinobi who simply can't do any ninjutsu nor genjutsu." Neji answered back in sarcasm while glaring at his teammate. Nobody disappointed in Neji. Neji is the one who disappointed in people. _That's how he rolls!_

"Today is our beautiful flower's birthday! Do you honestly not remember, Neji?" Lee sighed, clearly not offended by Neji's insult.

Neji's glaredquickly faded, replaced by shocked expression written all over his handsome face. _Oh…Shi-…_

"Well then, I'm off! I have to go find a super youthful present that will literally blow Tenten's mind away! Its gonna be all cool and awesome, more than your present, my dear rival!" Slapped the last sentence on Neji's face, Lee took off to his search for a present of youthfulness while leaving the genius of the team dumbfounded in his seat.

Now with Lee literally gone for good, normally, Neji would immediately go back to his meditation, but now, the prodigy eyes and mind glued to nothing specific in the air in front of him.

_Holy…Today is her birthday?!_

~~~~ o ~~~~

Neji walked aimlessly on Konoha's street. Why in the world would he forget his best friend's birthday? A very bad friend that's who. Although, even in his dying state, he would never admit Tenten is his best friend. _Out loud at least. _Friendship was not a word in Neji Hyuuga's dictionary, even though there were only two words in that ridiculous dictionary which were 'Training' and 'Stronger'. Typical Neji. But the day he joined Team Gai, the day he became a proper genin, the day he met…_her, _the cold-heart genius slowly started to understand the term so called 'friendship'. A friend is the one who always support you, the one who always around you, the one who always understand you, the one who always listen to you, and that was Tenten to him. _She always there for him._

Tenten is a friend to Neji. Yes, that must be it. A friend, a good friend, if he feels like flattered her. Yes, her, just a good friend.

_Neji has a habit of lying to himself. _

Neji lied to himself a lot, especially when matter related to emotions or relationships. He lied that he did not want to be friend with any rookies in Konoha 11 group, but in fact, he found himself secretly enjoyed their annoying conversations during group meeting. He lied to himself that he hate his team monthly dinner tradition, but he found himself end up being there every month. He lied to himself that he never smiled after his father's death, but he found himself unconsciously smiling to a _person. _There is one big fat lie that he told himself above all. Tenten is only a friend. _Only._

In the bottom of his icy cold heart, Neji somehow aware of the funny feeling that built up inside his stomach whenever he met his female teammate big chocolate eyes. The beautiful eyes that drowned him from time to time in his own thoughts. The beautiful eyes that took his breath every time his white orbs landed on them.

_Lie is still a lie. However, truth will come out some how._

Neji lied. Yes, but he himself knew that he is lying. He liked the sound of her voice when she gossiped with the girls during group meeting. He liked the feeling when her arms accidently touched his due to their close proximity during team dinner. He liked to secretly smiling at her adorable gestures without her notice when they were talking.

Somehow, Neji knew he liked Tenten, a lot.

That's what Tenten to him.

A girl he can't get off his mind.

But there he was, forgetting the girl, who supposed to be a friend but didn't, birthday. What the hell is wrong with him?

A reason can wait, he had to find a gift for her before she returned from her solo mission.

What can he giver her? Weapon, a set of new kunais or shurikens…? Maybe. The girl held a special love for her dear weapons. She cared for them, a little too much? There was one day that Neji got scowled by Tenten for dropping her precious katana carelessly on the ground. He sometimes wished to become one of her weapons.

_Nice, Neji! You're jealous of some lifeless objects._

He rubbed his temple again, he seemed to that a lot lately. Back to the gift, Neji knew Tenten would really love to receive new weapons but he had done that every year. Too cliché? He did not like cliché stuff.

'I'm going to get her something different this year.' Neji told himself.

Neji looked at different stores on both sides of the street and set himself a check list in his head.

_Clothes? - Can't! There was one thing that the great genius Hyuuga Neji is clueless, shocking, about is female fashion sense. Beside, Haruno or Yamanaka, maybe Hinata would give that to her. So scratch that. _

_Food? - A cake maybe? - Can't do that either, Akamachi probably taking care of that. _

_Stuff animals? - …Inuzuka would think about it. Beside, there is no way Hyuuga Neji would walked into a stuff animals shop. Not even Hiashi-sama made him._

_Weapons? Did I just scratch that already?_

_Books? – I didn't know what type of books she like. Eh?! Is that Kakashi-sensei in adult novel section…?_

_Ramen? - …the hell…?_

_Flowers? _

Yes! Flowers would be an excellent choice. Every girl loves flowers. That was what he heard. Except the red rose, flowers can make quite a good change for this year.

So Neji went to the nearest flower shop.

~~~~ o ~~~~

_*Cling*_

"Hello! Welcome to Yamanaka's flower shop! What can I ge-…" Ino greeted and looked up to her customer after hearing the doorbell. At the first sight of the customer, she dropped her fashion magazine to the ground. Also her jaws.

"OH! HOLY SHIT! Neji-san?! What are you doing here? Oh My God! Neji Hyuuga is in my flower shop? Jesus! Is the sky falling down outside Neji-san?! Oh My! I have to text to Sakura!"

Neji covered one ear of his after Ino's loud speech.

"Is this how you greet your customer, Yamanaka?" Neji grunted

Looking up from her cellphone, Ino looked at the prodigy in wide-eyed once again.

"Is this… some kind of a prank?" Ino asked, her eyes were ready to fall out of their sockets.

"What the heck, Yamanaka! I aware of your insanity but I never expect it to be this Much." Neji, already pissed of the younger girl disrespectful reaction, turned his heels to the door.

'_If I know this much annoying, I shouldn't have come in the first place.' _Neji told himself.

"Oh wait wait, Neji-san! I apologized! I'm a little shocked, that's all! Its just that I would…erm…never expect to see you in here…Heh…what can I help you with?" Ino stepped out of the counter and ran slowly toward the unexpected customer of her.

"Hn." Neji sighed. "I would like a small bouquet for a gift. What is your recommendation?" Neji asked

"Oh! To someone special, eh? Who is the lucky girl?!" Ino looked at Neji while grinning, Ino's gossip mode activated.

Neji glared hard at the florist.

"Yamanaka!"

"Oh! Gomen gomen!" Ino apologized, clearly scared to death by Neji's murderous glare. "If so, do you know which type of flower she -erm- the person like?" Ino asked

Tenten's favorite flowers…Okay! Why in the world he did not think about this first before enter the flower shop. So much intelligence for a genius. Neji frowned his eyebrows. He tried to search any clue about Tenten favorite flowers in his memories.

'_Clue, clue, clue…Okay! Two or three years ago, there was a time our team went to help a farmer harvested his flower gardens. It was a D-rank mission. Tenten was avoided the daisy area. She told me she had a weird allergy with daisy ah, and also carnation. So those two are out of the list. If I remembered correctly…, she did say she liked Iris, didn't she…? Lavender, lavender…ah! Tenten! Her scent smelled like lavender flower. Its nice…What the?! Focus Neji! Do not get distracted by her scent nor her eyes, or her voice…okay…I just did it again…'_

'_The other day when I came to her apartment, there was a small vase on her coffee table that filled with little lavender spikes…That must be it then! Tenten's favorite flower is Lavender!_

Realization hit Neji, he turned around to face the florist.

"I would like one bouquet of lavender flowers, get me the best kind."

"O-oh, okay!" Ino answered

She hurried to the lavender section. She searched and pick up the best looking spikes. The younger girl then looked up to Neji.

"Do you want any kind to go with it?"

"Uhm…I think not. These are fine!" Neji looked kind of pleased with the purple flowers.

"Which size would you prefer for your bouquet then? Small, medium, or big? And which of these colors would you like for the string?" Ino brought the fresh flowers to her counter, opened a box filled with many different colorful strings and showed it to Neji.

"Make it big, but keep its elegance look." Neji paused and looked at the box, he saw a string that reminded him of his female teammate.

" This light brown one would do." Neji pointed at the string he wanted.

"Alright! I'll be done in five minutes. That time, you can look around, see if you want to give more to your lucky woman."

Ino winked deviously at Neji and took off with the flowers to the room behind the shop. Have nothing to do while waiting, he did what he was told and looked around at the shop.

First few months of the year was the best time for flowers to grew and harvested. The small shop filled with different colors and shaped flowers. Neji walked around different section. He stopped.

"Neji-san! I'm done!" Ino called out to Neji as she walked into the shop with a beautiful bouquet of lavender in her arm. She looked up from the bouquet and saw Neji stared dreamily at _that type_ of flowers. Ino shocked. She was not surprised very much by the softness on the Hyuuga prodigy's face that she had never seen before. She was actually shocked at the way the Hyuuga prodigy looked at the flowers. As if he was in love…

"Yamanaka." Neji spoke, still keep his pearl eyes at the flowers.

"Yes?!" Ino jumped slightly at the voice that broke the silence.

"Would you…make a small bouquet out of these?"

~~~~ o ~~~~

**A/N: So…how was it, mates?! :D **

**I knew it was pretty poor writing but how were the structure and idea in ur opinion. Do I organize it okay or should I change anything? Review please?!=3 any kind would do! I will appreciate them all!**

**I do apologize of Tenten lack of present but she definitely be on part 2. **

**Part 2 will be the last and I'm working on it. **


	2. Birthday's plan

Part 2! Here goes ;

**Disclaimer: **Naruto belongs to Kishimoto! So screw him then!

Neji hid two bouquets of flowers that he just bought in the scroll. Neji himself did say that he didn't care much about other people opinions about him, but however, the prodigy still refused to walk around the village with flowers in his hands. A soft image like that is totally unNeji, and he clearly did not want to goes soft.

He put a scroll back in his pocket, walked out of the store and headed straight to the Main Gate.

Neji looked up a tree on the sidewalk and saw a couple of birds chirped lovingly on their net. Today is such a beautiful day. The sun let its little light brightly shone upon the houses and trees. The fresh breezes from the spring wind sweep gently from the North to the village of Konoha. People voices and chirping sounds harmonized in balance and brought out a lively, peaceful image of the village that was once in chaos.

A lovely day for someone special.

Neji decided to sit on the bench near the gate and wait for Tenten.

The Hyuuga prodigy did not know his precious peaceful moment soon to be ruined by the group of three individuals that he detests the most.

"NEJI! NEJI! MY RIVAL!"

The voice that annoyed Neji even in his sleep rung through the area.

Neji angrily turned his head to the voice's direction. He spotted a person in green, a person in bright orange and a person in brown.

_Are you trolling me, Fate?_

Neji sighed heavily. What a way to destroy his perfect day! He soon looked up as soon he as he sensed their presences in front of him.

"What the HELL do you want?" Neji glared intently at them.

"Woah Woah! Why so mad, Hyuuga?" A person in brown, Kiba, the one Neji hated the most in the trio, spoke.

" Your freaking presence." Neji hissed angrily.

Neji did not know when he starts to hate the dogboy. Not when he was a genin for sure because Neji hated everyone at that time, maybe except Tenten. Kiba had the playboy attitude that annoyed the hell out of the Hyuuga. Don't say Neji is jealous of Kiba being a womanizer. In fact, the prodigy would not even give a damn if Kiba humped every woman in Konoha.

However, when the dog decided to mess with Neji's training partner, he officially went to the top of Neji's black list. And you knew that Neji's black list is not short. The dog had the nerve to flirt with Tenten every time, wherever he caught her sight. And Neji Hyuuga is _fucking_ hate that. Even how pretty and nice she is, nobody have the right to _flirt _with _his _Tenten. **His**, he says.

"Cranky ass! What the hell did I ever do to you, Hyuuga?" Kiba spat back.

Neji glared at the dog with all his hatred.

"Okay Okay! Bros! Stop! You can beat the shit out of each other tomorrow but we have something more important to do right now!" A person in orange, Naruto, stepped between Kiba and the Hyuuga prodigy.

"Alright!" Kiba backed out a little bit. "For my Tenten, only."

"Your WHAT, Inuzuka?" Neji stood up suddenly. Neji fists turned white.

It's Kiba turn to glared at the prodigy

"GUYS! STOP! Kiba, we're here for Neji's help, remember? So stop get on his nerve, alright?" Naruto shouted at both of them, mostly to Kiba.

"Tsh!" Kiba chuckled

Neji turned his attention to the walking orange.

"Whatever you are going to ask, I refuse!" Neji said blankly, sat back his bench and looked the other way.

"Bu-but Neji! We need your help to make this day extremely special for our flower!" Lee said, bitterly.

_Flower…!...Tenten?! _

Neji immediately looked back at Lee. Naruto and Kiba smirked. The only thing that can get this cocky genius's attention is his female teammate's name. Nice move, Lee!

"What is it with Tenten?" Neji asked

"We decided to throw a surprise party for Tenten this year!" Naruto chirped, "The others are doing some decorating in her apartment and we-"

"Wait!" Neji interrupted him "How can you get in Tenten's apartment?" He queried. Before Tenten left for her mission, Neji remembered telling her to lock her door carefully. She even joked how he acted like the mother she never had. So how can they break in to her apartment?

'_That bonehead girl, she had to not listen to me.'_ Neji mentally scowled at Tenten. He is going to have a talk with her about this.

"Ah! Tenten did give me a spare key to her apartment. She asked me to water her plants whenever she away." Lee explained to Neji.

THE HELL?! She gave Lee her spare key? Why didn't she ask Neji to that for her? Didn't she trust him enough? Her best friend?

He felt hurt, somehow.

"So," Neji pushed away his feeling "What do you need me for?" he asked

"Ah! We need you to distract her, specifically, prevent her from enter her apartment till 6 pm. Can you do that, Neji?" Naruto spilled

"But why me? Why don't you let LEE to do it?" Neji spat

Neji felt like to slap himself. Hard. On the face.

He would never think he would be this corrupted. He is _jealous_. With Lee for crying out loud. And that just doubled the ridiculousness. The boy was like Tenten's little brother. If you ask Neji who in Konoha that have the sibling relationship but not blood related. Tenten and Lee would his answer. They're very close.

Well, Neji is close to Tenten, too. But _defiantly not_ a sibling relationship.

"Because! Asshole! The chick just got back from the mission and she will be drop dead tired, she would immediately suspected something is going on when one of us asked her to go somewhere that not her home." Kiba said in annoying voice

"And she certainly will not agree and maybe ask questions that we don't know how to answer without revealing something!" Naruto added

"Also she never refuse you nor ask anything from you, my rival! So you are our only and best candidate!" Lee said, gave the prodigy his thumb up.

"Hn." Neji grunted.

Now that Lee mentioned, Neji noticed that Tenten had never refuse him anything. When he asked her to train with him in ridiculous hours like four in the morning or days in the weekend, she was still agree. Even in terrible weather condition like rain or extremely humid and hot. Tenten always agree to train with him without questioned him anything, despite all the inconvenience.

_Why would she do that…?_

"Will you do it, Neji?" Naruto asked, broke the Hyuuga train of thoughts.

"…Alright…"

"YOSH! With Neji's help with this, we won't have to worry about anything! Let us go back and help the others to celebrate Tenten youthful day!" Lee pumped his fist in the air and ran back to Tenten's apartment direction.

"DATTEBAYO!" Naruto shouted behind Lee and ran away with him

That left Kiba and Neji alone.

Silence.

"What else do you want?" Neji glared at Kiba with the hidden message of _Go the fuck away!_

Ignored the prodigy silent threat. Kiba turned back and smirked at him.

"Ya know! You're such an asshole for making her wait like this."

"What the hell do you mean, Inuzuka?" Neji glared

"You know hell what I mean, Neji! I don't know what she saw in you but she's fucking waiting. Too bad for us though, she's so fine in everyway." Kiba said, licked his lips a little.

"Shut your trap, Inuzuka!" Neji stood up and grabbed the collar of Kiba's shirt, Byakugan activated "It's my teammate you're talking about, so watch your freaking mouth!"

"Tsh! Teammate! Teammate!" Kiba smirked. "If she is just your teammate, mind if I jump her?"

Neji veins popped around his eyes. Neji moral behaviors that he learned flew out of his head. He was now extremely pissed. Hyuuga freaking Neji pissed. And you won't like him when he pissed.

_Nobody! Talked about Tenten like that! NOBODY!_

Neji clinched his teeth. One hand still wrapped roughly around the womanizer's neck. The other hand turned into a fist and raised high near Neji's head. All his chakra concentrated in his fit. He is going to punch this son of a bitch hard.

Just as his fist about to connect the dogboy's face. A voice yelled

"NEJI!"

The voice. The voice that relived all his stress. The voice that made his heart squeezed in his chest. The voice that that he missed,…he loved…

Neji slowly turned around

"…Tenten…"

**A/N: CLIFF HANGERRRRRRRRRRR!;D**

**Tehee! I'm so sorry for let this hanging like this. I wanted to make this a last part but things were somehow not following as they planned so I might finish it at part 3! **

**Hopefully that will be the last or I might add one more chapter! **

**PLZ PLZ PLZ REVIEW! :') I need some encouragement to finish it!**

**Thx 4 reading! ^^**


	3. I lead a woman to my room

Little note: My Tenten is kind of sweet but strong at the same time. I always want to make her soft, little less tomboyish. And Neji,…well…typical, but slight OOC little bit.

OKAI! Here part 3! 3

**A/N: Naruto is not mine! If it is, Neji and Tenten would not be virgins by now! ;)**

"…Tenten…"

The girl ran hurriedly toward now a very pissed teammate of her. Tenten put her small hand on Neji's fist, hoping he would lose his deadly grip on the poor boy's neck.

"Neji! Let go of his neck. He is suffocating!" she said worriedly. Tenten slightly squeezed his hand.

If his female teammate had not been here, heh, fat chance he would forgive Kiba. His iron fist was probably smashing the dog 's face by now until no one can be able to recognize him anymore.

But the cold-hearted prodigy simply can't think or do anything that related to violence while his mind was so focused on the weird feeling that built up in his stomach when a delicate hand of a certain brunette touched his.

Neji liked it.

"Hn!" Grunted. He listened to his teammate and releases his strong grip from Kiba's neck.

As soon the contact was off, Kiba immediately dropped on his knees and breathed heavily. He sucked in all the oxygen his lungs can handle and exhale strongly.

Tenten hand immediately left Neji's soon she saw the dogboy nearly collapsed on the ground and dropped to her knee as well to tend for him.

Neji cursed under his breath.

"Kiba-kun! Are you alright?" she asked worriedly. Tenten wondered slightly in her head what could make these two get in the fight. All grown-up shinobis to be said.

"*cough*…Hheh…*cough*…ye-yeah. I'm o-okay." Kiba told her but still coughed repeatedly. He had never experienced to be strangled like that in his life. That can say Neji was serious about killing him.

Kiba finally regained his breath and stood up. Face to face with the prodigy that nearly strangled him to death. The guy looked even angrier than he was before.

"Heh! You hold like a wuss!" Kiba smirked in sarcasm, but he himself knew better. "I don't want to fight you today, so cut that face of yours Hyuuga. Remember, you have a duty to do."

Neji soon straighten his eyebrows. For a second there, he was forgetting about his little mission.

" Also, I was ordered to inform you. Hokage-sama assigned you, me, Shikamaru, Naruto and few other jounins an S-ranked mission. To investigate Akatsuki real hideout." Kiba paused and looked at the Huuga in front of him. He continued.

"So do whatever you want to do cuz tomorrow we left at 6." Finished his announcement, Kiba looked down at the girl beside him. She was still on her knees and stared at both of them questionably with her big chocolate eyes.

'_She is such a beauty. Heh. Too bad I can't have her if I want to live..."_ Kiba thought to himself.

He kneeled down a little and faced the brown-eyes girl.

"I see you later then, Tenten!" He quickly pecked her slightly on the cheek and left immediately. Even a dog still wants to live, people.

"…What was that all about?" Tenten asked, more to Neji. She looked up and saw Neji activated his Byakugan again, looking like someone just throw **** on his hair.

"Neji, what's wrong?" Tenten stood up from the ground and looked with concern at her training partner. She didn't see him look this mad since Lee 'accidently' cut his hair while he was asleep.

Tenten shivered a little at the memory. _A very bad one._

"Nothing!" Neji answered. He had to regain his composure. Emotion like this will do no good for his success on this mission.

"O-okay, if you said so." Tenten said slowly, sensing that he did not want to continue the conversation.

"I think I'm going back to my apartment. I smell super stink right now. The missing was seriously killing me. Bye, Neji! I will see you tomorrow!" Tenten waved her little hand at Neji and ready to jogged off to her apartment.

"Wait!"

"Huh? What is it?"

_Think think think Neji! Think of some reason! Something professional! Something she would not suspected! Think! Think! Okay! Okay! Calm the fuck down, Hyuuga! Where is your freaking intelligence when I need it?"_

"Neji…?"

"I'm hungry! Let's eat something!" Neji spilled. _So much for your professionalism, mate._

Tenten blinked at him.

_Please don't ask anything! Please don't ask anything! Please don't ask anything!_

"…o-okay." The brunette answered

_Yes! She bought it!_

"Hn! There is one new Chinese restaurant just opened yesterday near my compound. You wanna go?" Neji suggested

"OH MY GOD! Hell Yes Neji! I waited so long for them to open that damn door!" Tenten smiled brightly at Neji. He liked it a lot when she smiled.

"I can't wait! Let's go Neji! Hurry!"

Without another word, Tenten wrapped her arm around Neji's and tugged him along with her speed.

Tenten was so happy, she was not notice her little friendly action had caused her stoic teammate behind her to blush deeply like a Spanish tomato.

~~~o~~~

"Thanks for treating me lunch, Neji! The food were so delicious!" Tenten looked up and smiled at her teammate.

"Hn!" Neji blushed. Again.

Tenten jumped in front of him, grinned.

"I'm going to treat you some seafood soba next time, Neji, the most expensive one for sure!" Tenten chirped happily at him.

"That's not necessary, Tenten!" The prodigy looked at her. His heart lifted a little at her cute gesture.

"Don't say that, Neji! The lunch you treated me probably twice more expensive than five bowls of soba combined. I'm going to feel bad if I didn't do anything for you."

"I'm rich and you're not!" Neji said blankly. The Hyuuga did not play around with words. His straightforwardness usually offended numerous amounts of people. But Tenten knew him. He was more than his words.

"Yeah! Yeah! I know! I know! Don't reminds me, your highness." Tenten laughed and tapped slightly on Neji's back.

Her prince glared at her.

"I'm kidding, Neji! Hehe! But I still going to treat you your soba, so don't deny it, okay!" Tenten said. Not a question, more like a command.

"Hn." Neji gave up. There is no point in arguing with his stubborn teammate when she already made up her mind.

They walked through the street together.

"Ya smell something, Neji?" Tenten asked suddenly.

"What smell?" he asked

"Very bad smell, like sweat…mixed with dirt or something…and-…oh SHIT! THE SMELL COMES FROM ME, NEJI! ITS COMES FROM ME!" She yelled, blushed deeply. She can't believe she went around with this horrible smell on her with Neji all day. Now he is going to think her as some stinky nasty pig.

She jumped away from Neji immediately.

"I didn't smell anything!" He said. Why she so worried? She smelled nice. Every scent from her smelled very nice.

People said love blinded your eyes…and probably your nose.

"WHAT, MATE! I STINK LIKE DOG POOP AND YOU SAID YOU DIDN'T SMELL ANYTHING! Don't comfort me like that, Neji! I'm going home! Thanks for the meal!" Tenten turned her head away and ran the opposite direction.

_Oh NO! OH NO! This is BAD! Its not even 4 pm, yet! Crap! If she went home…! SHIT! I can't let her go back now!_

"Tenten! WAIT!" he shouted after her. He ran.

Neji with his inhuman speed soon caught up with Tenten. He grabbed her wrist and spun her around.

Tenten looked at him with wide-eyed. She struggled against his strong hold.

"What the…! Stay away, Neji! I have to go home and take a-"

"Come to my compound! There is a bathroom you can use!" Neji said

Tenten suddenly stopped moving around. She stared at her teammate

_OH CRAP! OH CRAP! SHE IS GOING TO ASK SOMETHING! PLEASE DON'T ASK ANYTHING! PLEASE DON'T ASK ANYTHING!"_

"…Why…?"

_DAMN!_

"Because…" Neji choked at his own spit. His heart beat like crazy in his chest, a normal reaction for a liar.

"…my compound is closer…and…you…you wound't want to walk around with the smell like that, would you?!"

_THERE! A FUCKING SUPPOSED TO BE A SMART-ASS REASON!_

"…I'm…that stink?" Tenten looked up at him, tears built up on her sockets.

_HYUUGA FUCKING NEJI IS OFFICALLY OUT OF THE GENIUS TOP TEN LIST!_

_NEVER TELL A WOMAN SHE STINKS! OR FAT! OR BOTH!_

"Hn! But if you clean up, it will be fine! Just go, alright?!" Neji felt bad. He didn't mean to hurt her.

"Uhm…okay…" Tenten answered softly

Neji lead her to the Main Branch section where he currently stayed. He was hesitated a little bit, though. No one had been in his room, except him. Not even Hiashi-sama. Not even the maids. He had to clean the room himself.

So here he was. Leading a woman to his room. The place he forbids everyone to come in. In front of his shocking relatives.

From the corner of his eyes, Neji saw his relatives stared at him with wide-eyed, and then stared at Tenten. Poor the girl. She had never used to have this much attention. She continued to wrap her arms around her body as to prevent the bad smell from spreading.

Neji sighed. There are going to be a lot of gossip tomorrow.

They stopped in front of his room. Neji slowly opened his door and stepped aside for Tenten to came first. She murmured a soft 'thank you' under her breath and walked into his room as fast as possible.

Neji followed her after. He turned his attention to the door, gave a last deathly glare to his relatives and shut it.

Silence wrapped the compound

"…"

"…"

"…"

"…"

"That ass finally get laid! Thought he was gay!" Hanabi suddenly spoke up, broke the silence.

Hiashi Hyuuga usually scowled his youngest daughter about her bad mouthed but now, all he can feel is happiness.

"Oh Hizashi! I wish you could see this… Your son… is not a homo…" A small tear of joy leaked from his eyes.

**A/n: Hahaha! Part 3 is done! **

**Look like I still didn't finish this fucking story. New scenes just keep flooding in my head. Have to write it down.**

**So I think part 4 is coming up. I don't want to leave it unfinished. **

**So wat do u think? Is the process too long? I myself did not like how the story went but, can't help myself. :D**

**PLZ LEFT A COMMENT, OKAY?! **** I feel kind of sad though…**

**But thank you for those who reviewed. I hope u would continue to do dat. Very appreciated! :**

**Thx 4 reading! ^^**


	4. The lovely teammate of mine

Neji stared at his wooden door blankly. He let out a small sigh.

_Now what…?_

"…Neji…"

"Hn?" he turned around and looked at the lovely teammate of his.

He was nervous. He had no idea what to say. Nobody ever had been in his room before.

"You think it's okay? I mean,… you allow me to use your bathroom?" she asked him shyly, her eyes locked at a random painting on the wall, as if to avoided his eyes. Small tints of red reflected on her tanned cheeks.

_She…blushing? That's…kind of adorable…_

Neji shake his head mentally. It was pretty awkward. For both of them actually.

He coughed slightly to regain his composure.

"I don't mind. Do you have any spare clothes with you in your bag?"

"Yeah, there was one clean left, but it was a civilian outfit. I thought I would have some times to hangout if I finished the mission early. But, hehe, apparently not…" Tenten looked up at her teammate. His pearly eyes still did not leave her presence.

Silience.

"So,…" Tenten muttered "I'm going to take a shower!" she stood up with clothes in her arm. "No peeky, Hyuuga!" she joked at him.

Neji smirked. The awkward tension between them evaporated.

"I thought you think of me differently, Tenten!" he eyed her.

"Heh! I did, Hyuuga! But you're still a male, so I don't know!" she let out a small giggle.

"Unless you're not interested in woman,…I would be less worry!" she laughed at his change of facial expression.

She knew he hated it when people questioning about his sexual status. But how can they not? He was too pretty.

"You take that back, Ten…"

Neji glared murderously at her.

"Alright, alright!" Tenten raised her free hand on the air in surrender gesture, but she can't help to giggle at him, "Geez, Neji! You have to learn how to take a joke sometimes! Well then, I'm off! I see you maybe twenty or thirty minutes later!"

"Hn! Take as long as you want!" Neji told her and he really mean it. He had to keep her with him for about two more hours.

_What the hell should we do in two hours?_

Neji walked to his bed and sat on it. Frustrated at his own question, he decided to mediate.

_I might come up with something when my mind is at peace._

…

A small noise of water running from the bathroom shook Neji out of his silence moment. He wondered what had caused that. Oh right, he did let Tenten use his bathroom to take a shower, didn't he. How could he forget?!

_Hm,…I wonder what is she doing…_

Open both closed eyes. He shifted his head to the right. Neji stared at the bathroom door. Suddenly, some rather-inappropriate images from nowhere flooded in his head.

'_What the hell?!"_

Where were those images come from? No! This is WRONG! Tenten was his dear teammate. And as a good teammate and a perfect gentleman he was, he must bear no ill thoughts for his female friend. No matter how alluring her presence to him, he must not…

Sighed to himself, he brought a hand to massage his temple and tried to get back with the meditation. But whenever he heard noises escaped from the bathroom, his gaze immediately shifted to it. He just can't help it…

' _When did I become such a pervert?'_

The bed, which located very near the bathroom, did not help either.

Defeated at his own war, Neji angrily stood up from the bed and started to walk to the left corner of his room. He sat down, eyes stared at the wooden wall in front of him while his back faced the bathroom.

'_At least this may help me from…'_

The Hyuuga prodigy inhale a long breath and exhale slowly. He concentrated all his mind and chakra in his meditation.

~~~o~~~

"Neji?"

Neji slowly opened his eyes as his name rung through his ear. He knew the owner of the voice.

"Yes, Tenten?" He asked without moving from his spot.

"Ehm,…I'm very sorry for taking too long. Your tub was so comfortable, so I kind of fall asleep in there…" Tenten apologized shyly

"Hn. What time is it, now?" He closed his eyes

"Nearly 5:30!"

'_Oh…! It had been over one hour already? That was fast. I think they must be finish by now.' _Neji thought to himself

"Uhh, Neji?" Tenten asked

"Hn?"

"Why are you sitting in the corner?"

"I…was mediating."

"Oh, you usually sit in the corner while mediate in your room?"

"Yeah,…it helped me,…concentrated…"

"Oh okay."

"Ten, do you want to go back to your apartment?" Neji asked her.

"Yes, it getting pretty late."

"Hn."

Neji stood up from his spot. He straightens his clothes a little then shifted his head back to see Tenten.

He speechless.

Tenten was currently sitting on his bed. Her usual baggy training outfit was replaced by her so-called civilian clothes.

She was wearing black shorts that stopped just above her mid-thigh. A simple blank white shirt hugged her upper body, which pretty much showed Neji her feminine upper curves that he never saw before. The hair was usually styled in two buns on the top of her head was now hung in one loose braid on her left shoulder.

For a second there, he thought he was seeing a normal cute little country girl, the type that can't even hurt an ant. Who would say this girl is the same with the deadly, strong and stubborn kunoichi of his.

Her simple civilian outfit of course can't compared with the styled and complex clothing trends of Haruno or Yamanaka or any other girls in Konoha, but yet, the girl in front of him still manage to do one thing that no woman was able to do before, _made a stoic Hyuuga prodigy's heart skipped a beat._

"Uhm, Neji. Are you alright?" she suddenly asked

Neji stared at her but said nothing.

As like she sensed her best friend discomfort, she nervously looked around to find any faults she carelessly made that upset him.

"Is everything alright, Neji…? Did I do something? Was I…*gasped*…was I not allow to sit on your bed…?" the girl immediately stood up from her seat and walked slowly away. With her standing up, Neji was able to take a better look at her full beautiful form.

_She is…beautiful…_

"*cough* Tenten! It's fine. Sit." He didn't mean to freaked her out by his intent stares, but,…he can't help it,…

He coughed again, as to try to block his thoughts about her. Finally regained his normal self, Neji took his eyes off her, painfully he admitted, and walked past his teammate to the closet. He pulled out a dark blue kimono and carefully folded on his hand. He spoke without looking at her.

"I'm going to change then we can go back to your apartment."

Without waiting for her answer, Neji walked hurriedly to the bathroom and shut it. He leaned against the closed door for support, slowly raised one hand and place it over his heart. _The beats…_

~~~o~~~

After changed his clothes. Neji lead Tenten out of the compound and head to the street. On their way back to her place, the two shinobis somehow felt all eyes from the people on two side of the street stared intently at them. As they passed a group of teenage girls, they heard some whispers and squeaks exchange from the girls behind them. Girls drooled over Neji Hyuuga was not a rare scene. However, they seemed not only caught the girls attention, the guys was also stared at them as well, but mostly to Tenten, except for few individuals. The kunoichi was embarrassing; she kept her gaze fixed on the ground in front of her, inwardly begging for the unwanted attentions to go away. Neji was not care much about the embarrassment; he was too busy to glared down every man that had the nerve to checked out his teammate. He was giving out a lot of glares today.

Even though the prodigy was pretty much occupied with the glaring, he was also not missed the sensual feeling that building up in him while walking with Tenten. Once in a while, he looked down at his dear friend and found her head still bowed down and her bang covered most of her face, refused to meet anyone eyes. He can't help but felt sorry for her. He smirked and stared back ahead. But she looked so cute…

"Neji,…"

Taking by surprise, the prodigy looked down at the voice owner.

"What is it, Tenten?" he asked her.

The girl slowly shifted her head upward to meet his face. He stiffed for a moment at her lovely big chocolate orbs.

"Why… people looked at us kind of funny today?" she asked nervously, looked back down again.

Neji smirked

"I don't know." He lied.

_Should he say the reason people have different looks on them today was because of her. _

They finally reached to her building. Tenten let out a relieved sigh. She turned her head up and looked at to Neji.

"Thanks for walking me home, Neji!" she smiled "I'll see you tomorrow?"

Neji looked at her smiling face. He can't help but feel so happy.

"I have a mission tomorrow, Tenten. Inuzuka told us this afternoon, remember?" he said

"Oh, right…" her smile slowly faded on her pretty face. "An S-ranked mission…"

Neji sensed the sadness in her eyes. He hated it! He hated it so much! He hated to see her sad! He wanted to kill the problems that made her smile disappear!

Tenten walked up the stairs with Neji followed behind her. He can sensed the nervousness in her little form.

They stopped in front of her apartment door. Tenten pulled out a key from her pocket.

"I'll go in, then. Have a goodnight, Neji! Be careful on your mission." She said without turning around to look at him.

When she put the key in the keyhole, she felt a hand placed gently on hers. She knew whose was it belong.

"Tenten…" His breath near her right ear sent a shiver down her spine. Butterflies from nowhere bounced up and down in her stomach.

"Yes, Neji…?" she stopped what she was doing but still refused to look up.

A hand squeezed hers slightly and slowly turned hers and leads her whole body to turn around. Tenten eyes gazed at the neck in front of her. She had no intention to look up. The hand that hold hers a moment before, left her. It moved up under her chin. The hand tilt her head up and made her gaze directly at the beautiful eyes that she always dream of whenever sleep took her away.

"What's wrong, Tenten?" Neji asked her in the calmest tone that she never heard from him.

Tenten orbs nervously shifted away. She didn't want to look in his eyes. She afraid she will broke down in front of him if her eyes continue to drowned in his pale lavender eyes.

"Nothing is wrong." She answered softly.

"I knew you too long, Tenten, to know that you're lying to me, right now." He moved his hand which was under her chin and up to her right cheek, which made her brown pupils back to his. "And you had never been success in hiding anything from me, Tenten." He told her softly.

They looked at each other for a while.

Tenten placed her small hand on the larger one that cupping her cheek.

"Really Neji! It's nothing important." She smiled softly at him. She squeezed his hand a little and gently brought it away her face. Neji still looking at her. She placed a key back again.

"You have to prepare for tomorrow, didn't you! I'll wait for you at the Main Gate when you're back, Neji."

A click from the door. Tenten pushed in gently.

" Tenten! I-"

"!HAPPY BIRTHDAY!"

**A/N: OKAY! I really want to fuck myself right now. The story didn't even finished, YET! What the hell is wrong with me! The more I tried to finished it, the more it keep getting longer. **

***sigh* but I did have fun writing this chapter though. Its kinda showed some romance between Neji and Tenten! And I luv romance! ;3**

**Now I can't be sure at which chapter I will finish it but it will be done soon! It's a short story afterall.**

**Again! Plz review! Pretty plz! :')**


	5. Happy Birthday, Tenten! End!

A/N: So…there weren't much reviews, so I'm going to wrap things up quickly.

"!HAPPY BIRTHDAY!"

Tenten hanged her mouth open. She was not expecting this.

"Today…is my birthday…?" she asked in shaking tone.

"Yes, Tenten." Neji spoke behind her. He stepped up and stood next to her. "Don't you remember?"

"I…" the girl looked up at him. "You, you…in this, too?" she asked him. Their eyes locked in each other.

"Hn…" He murmured. Neji however still felt guilty about nearly forgetting Tenten's birthday if it was not for Lee who reminded him. Looked down at his female teammate, Neji saw her eyes were twinkling along with the light. Tears built up on her sockets, threaten to fall anytime soon. She gave him a warm smile

He froze.

"Thank you, very much, Neji!"

"Oh! Two lovebirds can get a room, later! How about your soul sisters, Ten-chan? We also remember your birthday, ya know!" Ino ran toward Tenten and hold her hands. Sakura and Hinata went after her. They then all wrapped their arms around Tenten and formed a group hug.

Tenten attentions left Neji and looked back lovingly at her girlfriends then the room. Her plain white room was decorated with posters, corlors and full with presents. She saw everyone was here. All her loved ones. Sasuke and Hanabi were also here, too. She wondered what could convince them to come here, but Tenten happy they were.

She smiled at her little girl group. "Of course, guys! How can I forget you all!" she hugged her friends tightly. Tenten then looked back at the rest in the room. "Thank you…so much…" the tears she was holding back now rolled freely on her cheeks, that caused her friends to squeeze her tighter.

They remembered her birthday when she can't even remembered her own.

Tenten was too happy.

"Geez, what with all the tears, buns bitch. Never knew you were this emotional." A voice spoke up.

"Temari!" Tenten opened her eyes widely; she was not expected to see her rival in here. She smiled mischievously. "When did you come back?!"

Tenten and Temari became closer after the Chuunin Exam. They saw each other as rivals but also can't help to form a friendship bond. Tenten loved the Sand girl so much.

"Just arrived yesterday with my bros here. You think I would miss a good chance to screw your little pathetic life?"

"Like hell you can, Tema!" Tenten grinned widely at her. Yep! She loved that bitch.

She glanced back at two figures behind Temari. Her brothers, Kankoru and the Kazakage of the Sand were also in her apartment.

Such a man like that in her place. Tenten never felt more honored.

"Kazekage-sama! Such an honor for you to be here in my humble home." She apologized her girlfriends then walked toward Garra to greet him. She bowed her head a little.

"No need to be formal, miss Tenten. The honor is mine." He spoke, bowed back at her.

"Hey hey beautiful! Don't say you forget me already!" Tenten diverted her attention at the voice. A soft grin appeared on her happy face.

"Kankoru! How could I ever forget you?" she told him.

"I know right?! My charm is irresistible." He smirked then wrap his arms around her body and pulled her into a tight hug. Tenten giggled under him and returned the hug. Behind her, Kankoru suddenly sensed a deadly aura surrounded the Hyuuga prodigy near the door. He saw Neji glaring so hard at him with maximum capacity. Kankoru felt the chill ran through his spine but can't help to form a smirk on his face. _Geez. Quite a jealous teammate we are dealing here!_

"Ya know, Kankoru! Before you want to mess with my rival, ya better asked this guy permission first." Temari pointed her head jokily at now pissing off Hyuuga.

Tenten broke the hug at Temari remark and blushed. She looked at her teammate direction and he was indeed extremely angry.

"Okay! We better start the party before Neji threw the tantrum at us all. Tenten, let's go see the cake Chouji made especially for you, hun." Sakura suggested, she ran to Tenten and pushed her slightly to the table. Everyone followed after the two girls.

"Neji, my boy! Cheer up! It's our beautiful flower's birthday after all, so don't let her see you upset."

Neji glared at his sensei.

"I am not upset!" He stated sharply.

"Hm, okay, okay whatever you say my dear student." Gai moved to the door and stood next to the Hyuuga prodigy. They observed the celebration in silence.

"She looked beautiful today, isn't she, Neji!" Gai suddenly spoke.

Neji glanced up at his teacher then moved his eyes to the birthday girl. She was laughing along with her friends. The happiness on the girl face suddenly brings the warm feeling inside his stomach. He looked at her. That beautiful smile on her face. He would do anything to see it everyday. Anything.

"Hn…"

"I heard, you have a mission tomorrow with the boys. A S-ranked mission? And you're the co-captain?" Gai asked him.

"Indeed."

"Uhm! I'm proud of you, Neji! This is the reward that you deserved for all your hard works, my boy!"

Neji looked at his sensei. Even though he hated his teacher too energetic behaviors so much, he was always held a special respect to the Jounin. The guy did teach him a lot.

"Thanks." Neji returned his gaze back to Tenten

"You know, Neji! A shinobi's life is like a thread of fate. You won't know when will it be cut and you won't know what will come to you along that thread."

Neji froze

"Life can end short or long, but how you live your life is all that matter, my boy."

The pupil stared at his sensei

"What is it you try to say, sensei?" he asked impatiently.

Gai chuckled

"Do what you want to do. Don't make yourself regret anything with life, Neji."

"What wa-…"

"You are a genius, my boy! You will figure it out." Gai gave him his infamous thumb up and then moved toward the group with Tenten greeting him.

Neji looked blankly at the window. A white bird flew by.

_Fate…_

"Neji!"

Neji turned his head back and met the chocolate eyes that he grew to adore through time.

"Come to join us, Neji!" She smiled softly at him. "Come with me!" she held out a small hand to him.

Neji stared at her. He then slowly raised his hand and wrapped hers possessively around his.

A small blush appeared on her cheeks. She looked up at him through her lashes and smiled softly.

He let her guided him to their destination.

_I fall for you, Tenten…_

_~~~o~~~_

Everybody went home after the party. They insisted to stay and help her clean up the mess but she refused, saying that they already did a lot with the preparation. Eventually with all the begging, she was able to convince them all to went back home, except Neji, when that guy already made the decision in his head, he would never change it, despite all of the puppy eyes she gave him.

"Bye, Ten, Neji! We'll see you tomorrow!" Ino and the girls waved at Tenten and Neji.

"Bye bye Tenten-chan! Neji, don't try any of your perverted moves on her." Kiba waved and smirked at him.

Neji glared at him murderously. Tenten just giggled

"Goodnight guys! See you in the morning!" she waved happily after them.

They watched until their friends' shadows had vanished. Tenten can't help but let out a small yawn.

Neji looked at her

"Come to bed, Ten! I'll clean up!"

"What?! No, Neji! I'll clean up, you go to rest. You must be tired. Tonight was the first time I ever see you socialize that much. You sure talked a lot, Hyuuga!" she giggled.

Neji frowned his eyebrows.

"I'm just kidding, Neji! But I'm glad to see you enjoyed yourself again. " she said

Neji smirked at her.

"Don't expect that from me often, Tenten! I made an exception for tonight only."

"Thanks…I'm happy you did, Neji!" she looked dreamily at his eyes.

A blush threatens to appear on the stoic Hyuuga's cheeks.

"We're going to catch a cold if we keep standing here, Ten." He turned around

"Hn!" Tenten smiled next to him. She turned round, too.

The couple stared intently at the mess that they left behind. Cups and bottles lied lifelessly all over the floor. The room was a mess.

"For a second thought, Neji!" Tenten spoke suddenly "I think we should leave this tomorrow. There was no way in hell we can clean up all of this, tonight."

Neji for the first time, agreed with her. He glared intensely at the trashes as if he can make them all disappear with his powerful glare. But sadly, he can't.

"I'm not going back, yet, Tenten!" he spoke

"What! But you have a mission, tomorrow! You should get some rest!"

"Nice try, Ten! I'm not leaving you with this mess alone!" he glared at her.

"Now who is the bonehead here, Hyuuga? Fine! If you don't want to go home yet, then you can stay and help me unwrap my presents, okay?" she said

"Hn!" Neji answered

Tenten lead them through the trash to enter her bedroom where the mount of presents lied randomly on the ground. She jumped on the blank spots on the floor in difficulty. One foot after the other. She finally made it to bed. She looked back at Neji. A grin appeared her face.

"C'mon, Neji-kun! Don't be embarrassed! I'll be the only one who could see you jump like this. C'mon Neji! Come on!" she encouraged him but in her head, she already laughed so hard at the image of Neji Hyuuga jumped with one foot like a little girl.

Neji looked at her

"You're enjoying it, aren't you?"

"What?! Pfft! No! What make you think that?" she can't hold back the laugh anymore. She rolled on her back laughing her heart out as the image went back in her head.

She opened her teary eyes when she felt a pressure on the bed sheet near her. What she saw was not what she would expect. Neji Hyuuga was kneeing next to her with a smirk on his face. Tenten stared at him with wide-eyed.

"When did you...?"

"If you don't remember, us shinobi can jump quite high without setting a foot on the ground for support." He teased her with the obvious knowledge.

"Are you saying I'm stupid, Hyuuga?!" Tenten threw a pillow at him. He easily caught it with one hand.

"Hn! I'll be the only one who knew your lack of intelligence, Tenten." He smirked widely at her.

"You with your fancy words, Hyuuga! I hate you!" she crossed her arms in front of her chest while glaring at him.

"Hn!" Neji amused "Shouldn't we start to unwrap your presents?" he asked

"Way to change the subject, jerk!" she glared

"Thank you." Neji smirked again. That girl just can't stop making him amusing.

Tenten leaned down and get as much presents as she can hold and dropped them on the bed in front of her and Neji.

"Okay! Let's start with this pink one, I think this belongs to Sakura!" she unwrapped the paper and pull out a beautiful strapless black dress.

"Oh My God! I can't believe she got this for me! I thought they were all out. She must have buy it before the sales!" Tenten held the dress in front of her and feeling the fabric. She turned to Neji and held the dress in front of him.

"Neji, Look! Don't you think it's pretty?" She asked him happily

"Hn…It looks fine" Neji answered

"Fine, Neji? Beautiful must be the word. I'm so nervous. I wondered if I could fit in this."

Neji eyed her, then the dress.

"So, try it on." He said

"Hm?! Yea, I need a guy's opinion in this. Wait a sec, Neji! I will be right back." She held the dress in her arm and jumped out of the bed, head straight to the bathroom.

Neji sat there and let his imagination ran free with Tenten.

_5 minutes later_

"Neji,…I think,…do you think,…it's okay?" Tenten head popped out of the bathroom door.

"I can't say anything if you don't come out, Tenten."

"O…kay…"

She stepped shyly out of the bathroom and moved slightly toward Neji.

He for the second time of the day, speechless.

To be honest, Neji didn't find it beautiful when Tenten just held it in front of him. But now, he saw how the dress elegantly wrapped around Tenten's beautiful body, he finally understand its true beauty.

If Neji didn't close his mouth, he would be all drooling right now. But how can he not? She was breathtaking,

"Neji,…say something…do I look that ugly….?"

_WHAT?!_

"What! No! Ten! You looked…erm…nice." Neji shuttered.

"Really?! You think I look nice?" Tenten asked again.

He eyed her. Embarrassed at himself

"Yes." He answered

Tenten giggled. "Thanks, Neji!"

She hopped back on the bed. Neji stared at her.

"You don't change back to your old clothes?" he asked her

"Nah! If you like the dress, I'm gonna wear it!" she smiled at him.

A blush that hid somewhere all night, suddenly came back to his cheeks. Neji stared at the lovely woman in front of him, admired her beauty to the last details. He wanted to remember her like this forever.

"Hn."

"Okay! Let's continue!" the birthday girl happily unwrap the next present.

She had never felt happier in all her life. Her friends, had give her so many amazing stuff.

Ino gave her a brand new cosmetic box. Typical Ino. Tenten did not use make up often but she still appreciated it, because it was given to her from her soul sister.

Hinata gave a box full of medical ointments, which she made them herself. Hinata's ointments were very effective with open wounds and bruises.

Gai-sensei, gave her a new set of expensive scrolls

And Lee of course, gave her a green spandex. The kid would never change.

Temari and her brothers gave her a bottle of expensive special spice that only Suna had.

Naruto gave her a bunch of ramen coupons

Kiba gave a teddy bear that near as big as his dog.

Shino and Sasuke gave her a new set of kunais while Shikamaru gave her a new katana.

Last but not least, Chouji bake her a birthday cake himself which they nearly eat it all tonight. The cake was so delicious.

"Aren't those amazing, Neji?! I love them so much!" Tenten smiled at herself. "Now I just have to find space for them. Kiba's teddy could stay with me on the bed." She was ready to stood up when a hand suddenly stopped her on her wrist.

"You don't ask me about my present." Neji told her.

She smiled prettily at her teammate.

"Because I don't need it." she said "You agreed to be here with me on my birthday is already enough for me, Neji! I don't and never ask for anything else better than that."

Neji stared at her. He felt his heart beat like crazy in his chest cage. Hyuuga Neji would never stop staring at his lovely teammate. Her body and soul just too beautiful.

"Tenten…" Neji let go of her wrist and set his knees on the bed. He pulls out a scroll from his pocket. He slowly unwrapped and spread it widely on the bed.

Tenten did not say a word. She was too busy staring at the prodigy. _What is he doing?_

Neji made a short hand seal and smoke spread out from the scroll.

When the smoke all clear, Tenten saw her stoic teammate still kneeled in front of her. A usual emotionless face, but, his hand, he was holding.

Tenten eyes wide.

_A bouquet of Lavender flowers._

"This is my present for you." Neji said. He handed the flowers to the brunette, but she didn't make any move to receive it.

Neji started to feel panic.

"You…you don't like it?" he asked her.

"No,…I just,…I'm just too shocked, Neji! The flowers are so pretty! How can you know my favorite is lavender?" she asked

"I saw your vase the last time I visited, so I, just guess they were your favorite." He answered, without looking at her.

"Then you got it right." Tenten smiled at him. "But you know lavender just became my favorite five years ago. My previous was actually lily."

"Oh? How come?" Neji can't help but ask her.

"They,…the Lavender flowers, reminded me, of your eyes." Neji froze at that statement.

"The first time I met you… was the day we became a team. Your eyes, I can't stop looked at it, I were so afraid you would think I was some kind of your fangirl or things like that. " she chuckled a little

"Your eyes, Neji, were unlike other Hyuugas." She continued Hinatas' and others were pure white but,…I saw yours had the light color of lavender in them. They were just,…too pretty. I loved that color in your eyes…" Tenten turned her gaze from the flower and up to Neji's face, stared directly at the beautiful eyes that she adores so much. "And that also made me start to love this kind of flower."

Neji was speechless once again. He would never thought…

"You…like my eyes…?" He asked shakily. The eyes of the Hyuuga, represent the hidden power of the noble clan, but they were also reflect the horror and misery of its history and customs. Most outsiders were founded more afraid of the eyes than attracted to them, but there was one person who has a different thought.

"I love them, Neji." she smiled softly at him.

The eyes that he, the Hyuuga, hated himself. The eyes that reminded him day by day how cruel and selfish the world are. He despised them with all his heart, but there she was, admiring his eyes, like they were the most beautiful things she ever saw.

_I love you, Tenten…_

He gazed at her chocolate eyes then traveled down to her full lips. The urge to kiss them was too much. Unconsciously, he leaned down slowly, toward the beautiful lips of the pretty girl that he falls for.

'_No…What if,…things were not as the way they seemed. No,…she was everything to me,…I was so selfish,…I can't afford to lose her,…Never…'_

He stopped when there were only few inches left until their lips met. He gazed at her face for a while. Neji slowly leaned his forehead against hers. He closed his lavender eyes.

"I'm sorry…"

With that, he disappeared behind the window and left the weapon mistress dumbfounded on her seat.

~~~o~~~

After a sleepless night, Neji packed his belongings neatly in his mission bag. Last night event was not leave his mind even a second. Whenever the Hyuuga prodigy closed his eyes, the yesterday image of his female teammate kept appeared in front of him.

Neji sighed. Here he was, a Jounin who supposed to put his entire mind to prepare for his first S-ranked mission, not a sleepless fool sitting on the floor, lovesick.

His eyes landed on the second scroll that he supposed to give it to her. He picked it up and gazed for a while. He then placed the scroll in his pocket.

Neji believed he did the right thing last night. Kissing her would do no good for both of them at the moment. He was not oblivious with the whole situation. For a long time, the Hyuuga prodigy was well aware of his female teammate affection for him, but he was not entirely sure. Was it love? Or was it simply a high respect for a fellow shinobi? He was not sure.

He didn't want to let both of his and her hope held high. The mission he was taking is a S-ranked mission after all. Death was not avoidable. He didn't want her to get hurt. Neji knew his teammate well. She was not the kind of person who took her feelings slightly. If she indeed loved him, then if he kissed her and died, her heart will be broken. Neji did not want that at all, so he demolished the nonexistence bond between them before it became too strong.

Neji Hyuuga loved his female teammate. He loved her with all his little heart can handle. But,…she deserved better.

He put on his Jounin jacket and picked up his bag on the floor. After said farewell to his uncle, he slipped out of the house and headed to the gate. Neji stopped when he spotted a familiar figure sitting on the bench near the gate. He looked at that person. The person somehow sensed his presence, traveled her eyes up to his. She stood up and went toward the Hyuuga prodigy.

"Good morning, Neji!" Tenten gave him her softest smile. Neji felt his heart skipped a beat.

"What are you doing in front of my compound, Tenten?" he asked her

"I,…I was waiting for you." She murmured quietly, her eyes looking down.

"What is it you want?" he said blankly. Tenten looked up at him then closed her eyes tightly. She felt hurt at his sudden coldness.

"I,…Can I, walk with you to your destination?" despite the tears threaten to spilled out of her sockets, she asked him softly.

"Why?"

"I…" Tenten looked at him in his eyes, tried her best to regain her confidence "I just want to be with you before you go."

Neji looked at her. Even though Tenten tried her best to hid her emotion pain from him, he still felt the vulnerability and hurt in her voice and body languages. Neji closed his eyes. He didn't want her felt hurt. Especially from him. Neji also wanted to be with Tenten if this maybe the last time he saw her. Neji wanted to show her his longing love that he built over the years for her. He wanted to kiss her, and hold her in his arms one last time. But he can't do those for his own selfishness. It pained him too much when he tried to push her away. Neji did not want any string attached them. He did not want to hold her back. But,…how can he ruthlessly push her away, when all he felt is love.

"Alright…" Neji said. He saw her face lighten up immediately. The smile. It hurt him.

He walked ahead, Tenten followed quietly next to him. They walked together in silence. None started the conversation. Tenten squeezed her fingers in her palm. She had to say something to him. She did not want to feel regret after.

"Did you eat breakfast yet, Neji?" she started the conversation awkwardly. She shut her eyes at her own embarrassment.

"Yes, I did. You?" he answered, sensed the discomfort from the girl walking next to him.

"I also did, thank you." She smiled to him "Did you pack everything you need for the mission?" she asked him again

"Yes." Neji said. That ended their small conversation. They once walked again in silence. Tenten chewed on her lower lips. She did not say half of the things she wanted to. The brunette cursed at her weakness. Where is the lion courage of her when she needed it?

She looked up and stared at her teammate. He looked handsome as always. Hair tied neatly in low ponytail. His face even though keeps the usual expressionless look, but his eyes seemed to twinkling slightly under the morning sunlights. It made him looked like an angel. The green Jounin jacket on his torso somehow added to the charm of the Hyuuga prodigy. He looked so flawless and powerful. He was too perfect. How can she reach him, when he was too high. Tenten held back her tears. She did not want to cry in front of him. She knew how much he hated weakness.

The pair walked toward the gate and saw their friends were already there. The boys, Shikamaru, Naruto, Kiba, Shino, Chouji and Lee were in their Jounin uniforms and talking to the girls in their group. Ino and Sakura was busied remind their friends what they need to do with the medical kit when emergency happened. Hinata was standing aside, folded a jacket and handed it to Naruto. The fox boy accepted it with a huge grin on his face. Poor Hinata! The girl looked nearly fainted with embarrassment. Shikamaru semmed to notice the prodigy and his female teammate approaching. He waved a hand at them, that caused the whole group turned back.

"YOSH! MY RIVAL AND TENTEN! YOU TWO LOOKED SO YOUTHFUL TODAY! NEJI! MY RIVAL! ARE YOU READY FOR THE MISSION?" Neji and Tenten hyper teammate yelled when he spotted them. The pair raised their hands to cover their ears at his sudden outburst.

"Shut up Lee! And I'm ready!" Neji scowled at his other teammate.

"What with the tired faces?! Did you guys have sex last night or something?" Kiba smirked at Neji and Tenten.

Neji glared hard at him. Murderous aura already covered his whole body.

Tenten sensed the bloodlust from Neji. The weapon mistress wanted to slap Kiba sometimes, he always pushed Neji button every time they meet. She was feared for the dogboy rather than her stoic teammate when they got in their arguments.

"Kiba! Stop joking like that! You do not want to piss off your teammate before the mission, do you?!" Tenten told him. Her eyebrows frowned a little to emphasize her point.

"Okay! Okay!" Kiba laughed. He himself knew that pissing off the Hyuuga prodigy now would do no good for him. Harm? Maybe.

Tenten touched Neji on his arm in hope it would ease his angry mood. Neji looked down at her and sighed. Why did she have to care about him all the time?! Her kind concern made it harder for him to get her off his mind. Neji raised a hand and massaged his temple.

Tenten looked up at her teammate. She glanced over his jacket and noticed some top buttons were undone. Don't bother to think. She raised both her hands near his collar and buttoned it. Neji tensed at her sudden movement. Her touches sent him a chill down his spine. He stared with wide-eyed at her.

"Neji! The mission is very dangerous so take care of yourself, okay?!" she said while fixing his jacket. Neji speechless

"Don't skip your meals. It's not healthy if you do that!" Tenten ran her small hand over the second button. "Remember to wear something warm when night fall! I knew it near the desert but temperature drop low there at night so keep yourself as warm as possible, alright?!" She moved on the third button "Don't risk your life out there! If you see it is too much to handle alone, wait for others to come, don't let your ego override you, okay?!" Finished all of the buttons, Tenten trailed a line on his jacket by her hand to smooth it. "Sleep as much as possible, okay?! Don't work yourself, too much, you ha-…" she can't say anything anymore. Tears blurred her visions. Her voice lost. She bit her lower lip to stop the incoming chokes built in her throat. Letting him go hurt her more than she thought.

Neji saw the heavy tears rolling on his teammate beautiful tanned cheeks. He noticed her lower lip was bleeding. A small drop of blood stayed stubbornly on her red full lip. The pain she was enduring. He felt it. It matched the one that he was feeling right now. Neji heart squeezed tightly in his chest as like someone tried to rip it out of him. He did not want to see her crying. The tears on her cheeks, he wanted to kiss them all away. The sorrow she was feeling, he wanted to hold her dearly to shoo them all away. The physical pain was not hurt like this.

Neji held her face between his palms. He slightly titled her head up. Locking her beautiful brown eyes with his. And for the first time, he smiled. A true smile.

"Don't cry,… Tenten." He told her softly.

Tenten stared at him. She never saw he smiled before. The smile of his. It was too beautiful to say with words. She wanted to see it more. He told her not to cry but yet, she can't help to let more tears running down from her eyes. But this times it was different. Those were tears of joy.

Tenten raised a hand and placed them on his. She smiled at him but tears keep falling.

"Be safe, Neji."

Neji smiled again. At this moment, he can't deny his feeling anymore.

He leaned in slowly and kissed a tear running on her cheek. He closed his eyes, his forehead was against her.

"Wait for me, Tenten." He whispered softly to her. His beautiful lavender eyes gazed directly at the big pretty chocolate orbs. Two colors blended with love.

"I'll always be waiting for you." She told him in loving tone between the tears. She leaned toward him on her toes, closed her eyes and placed a soft kiss on his cheek. She backed down with a breathtaking smile on her angelic face.

The soft sobbing sounds broke the moment.

Turned back the other way, the pair saw their friends staring lovingly at them. The sobs came from Ino, Sakura and Hinata. They looked as if they just saw the most romantic, cheesy movie in the world. The boys were smiling at them. Not smirk. Smile. Except Lee. He was crying along with the girls.

The two were now aware of their close proximity. They let go of each other slowly with deep red blushes on both of their faces.

"WOAH! MY TEAMMATES! WHY DID YOU STOP?! IT WAS TOO BEAUTIFUL!" Lee yelled in disappointment and happiness at the same time. He knew two of his teammates were definitely feel something for each other and this had proved him right.

Tenten and Neji felt like they were going to die from embarrassment. Neji cleared his throat with an awkward cough.

"It's time Shikamaru! Let's get going." He said. Glanced over the captain, he saw a unusual smile on the lazy boy face, which made him even more embarrassed. Great! They are going to tease him no end during the mission.

"Okay then, we will get going, team! Goodbye, girls!" Shikamaru waved a hand lazily at the girls, who were still sobbing. Sakura organized Naruto and Lee bags and handed toward them. Ino, recoverd from her emotional moment, start yelling orders at her teammates. Mostly to tell them to take good care of themselves. Hinata handing a bag full of her homemade ointment bottles for her teammates and gave them medical direction.

Neji and Tenten were left alone with their moment again. Tenten was still keeping her head down from embarrassment. Neji looked at her and smirked at her shyness.

"I will get going, then." He told her.

Tenten turned her still red face at her teammate. She smiled and nodded at him.

"Take care of Lee also, Neji!" she told him

Neji smirked at her "You spoiled him too much, Tenten."

She giggled happily at him. Tenten stepped forward and put her arms around his waist. She pressed herself against him tightly.

"Come home soon, Neji!" she told him.

Neji smiled and placed a loving kiss on her hair.

"I will!" Tenten smiled and released him. She wiped away her tears on his jacket and motioned him to go forward. Neji smiled at her and stepped toward his team, but he suddenly he stopped.

Tenten asked worriedly when she saw him stopping.

"What's wrong, Neji? You forget something?"

Neji turned around to face her.

"Indeed, yes I am." He answered her

"What is it? I will come to your room and get it! It will be fast!" Tenten told him

Neji said nothing more. He reached at his pocket behind and pulls out a scroll. Tenten eyed him questionably. Neji opened the scroll and did a quick hand seal. Smoke burst out of the scroll. Tenten coughed and waved her hand on the air to clear the smoke.

The thin air in front of her slowly faded, left her an image of the man she loved with a bouquet of beautiful red roses in his hand.

Tenten stared in surprise.

From behind, Ino had a smile on her face.

Neji stepped forward and stopped in front of Tenten. He raised the bouquet near her slightly shaking hands. He gazed and smiled at the beautiful woman he vowed to protect with all his life.

"Happy Birthday, Tenten."

**THE END**

A/n: **OMG! I FINISHED! FINALLY!**

**You love it? Or hate it?**

**Plz reviews! :'**


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